


Phantom Limb

by nebulaesailor



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Chronic Pain, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, phantom limb syndrome, platonic amedot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-20
Updated: 2017-01-20
Packaged: 2018-09-18 18:29:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9397634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nebulaesailor/pseuds/nebulaesailor
Summary: Peridot feels her limb enhancers even when they aren't physically there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by this crewniverse art of Peridot where she's suffering from phantom limb and it just stuck with me and I really wanted to write about it. I didn't intend on this coming out as Amedot (I'm not even a fan of the ship) but I thought Amethyst would be the best person to comfort her since her and Peridot remind me alot of me and my closest friend. 
> 
> Art Link: http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/steven-universe/images/3/38/Size500_CNH_AmberRogers_Peridot_500_%281%29.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20151120113532

Peridot laid on her back with her gaze turned to the stars. Steven was fast asleep on her right side and Amethyst on her left snoring away like an industrial washing machine. They had decided to sleepover at the barn and have a movie marathon of some popular Japanese studio that she forgot the name of. Lapis wanted to give them privacy and have some alone time herself, flying off to who knows where. The only person who was awake was her.

 

It wasn’t like she didn’t know how to sleep, Steven taught her when she was still being held captive in his “house”. It was because she couldn’t sleep. The tingly numbness in her limbs kept her up. She could still feel her enhancers as if they were there still connected to her bare flesh. Heavy and invisible. 

 

She didn’t feel it as often as she used to when she first reformed back at the temple. It was her first time without them since she first emerged out of her exit hole back in her kindergarden. The first thing they did was put on the limb enhancers and then whisk her off for training. No Era 2 peridot was ever without limb enhancers, the first signs of damage or technological issues resulted in the peridot getting an immediate leave of absence until the enhancers were fixed or/and replaced or the peridot was harvested for “better uses”. They were as much a part of her as her actual physical limbs. 

 

At first, she couldn’t even walk properly since she was so used to the heavy and gravity adjusting stride of her limb enhancers, she’d often scamper around on all fours like a mangy earth animal to keep her balance instead of tripping over her own feet like a clod. She’d often try to lift things or do work that normally should’ve been no hassle for her only find it impossible and have to ask someone to help her. Sometimes she’d feel horrible pain all her limbs, so fierce that she’d have to lie down and wait for it to pass.

 

The pain wasn’t constant anymore but the phantom sensations still hung over her like a stubborn cloud cover that not even the brightest sunbeams could pierce through. At times her enhancers felt so tangible and so real that she had to dig her fingernails into her arms until they bled to prove to herself that her physical limbs were still there. Steven, Amethyst, or even Lapis knew this was happening to her. It was the last shred of dignity she had left and she’d hold to it until the earth crumbled underneath her feet. 

 

But right now with her two most precious people sleeping right next to her, it was a lot harder to hide her pain. She felt completely paralyzed and helpless. She tried with moving her fingers and toes to remind herself that they were there. She then balled both hands into fists and clenched them so tight they turned white. Tears of shame pricked in the corners of her eyes and she tried to muffle the sobs threatening come out of her mouth. She whimpered softly and her face contorted in pain as the tears she tried to held back, ran down her cheeks. It was just so humiliating! 

 

Amethyst stirred from her sleep, awakened by Peridot’s constant movement. She had opened her eyes only to see Peridot crying.

 

“P-dot, are you okay? Why are you crying?” She asked softly trying not to wake up Steven who was still knocked out cold.

 

“I’m fine, Amethyst! Just go back to sleep!” She said trying to reassure Amethyst before a sharp pain shot through her left leg and she grimaced in pain. Amethyst didn’t look convinced. 

 

“Peri are you in pain? Is it from when I accidently pushed you out of the loft? I’m sorry!” She apologized before trying to rest her hand on Peridot’s leg to comfort her, only to have her flinched and pulled her hand back. 

 

“It’s not your fault, Amethyst! It’s-it’s complicated…” She clenched her teeth in pain and a pathetic whimper escaped her lips. 

 

Maybe it was because she was vulnerable or in excruciating pain. Or because she was just exhausted from constantly trying to manage and hide her condition from everyone, but she decided just to give in and tell Amethyst what was wrong. 

 

“I can’t feel my limbs. It feels like my limb enhancers, those things you threw in the water when you poofed me, are still on my body.” She gazed back at Amethyst for reassurance who guiltily looked down when she mentioned her destruction of her assistive technology. 

 

“I...I’m sorry you feel like this...I…didn’t know...” She stumbled over her words and could only stare dumbfounded at Peridot as she shook with pain and fear. She was at a complete loss on what to do.

 

Without thinking, she pulled Peridot tightly to her chest and embraced her as hard as she could, refusing to let go. She felt Peridot stiffened before melting into her embrace, her wet face pressed against her cheek. 

 

“How long have you felt like this? Do you feel like this...all the time?” Amethyst reluctantly asked, daring to break the silence between them. Peridot’s shuddered breathing stopped.

 

“I’ve felt like this ever since I was unbubbled. At first, the numbness and pain were constant but over time I got used to being without them. Now it just comes and it goes.” Peridot took a long shaking breath, then closed her eyes. There was a long awkward pause filled with nothing but Steven’s soft snoring and Peridot’s sobs.

 

“Is there anything I can do it help…? I am helping you at all right now?” Amethyst said, peering at Peridot through her hair who had finally stopped crying.

 

“This is fine.” 

 

Nothing else was said after that. They stayed like that for hours as they clung together in a fusion of comfort and desperation. They heard nothing but each others breathing and the crickets and frogs in the marsh beyond the trees. The stars twinkled and shined on them like billions of prying eyes, whom they paid no attention too. Slowly the stars blinked out of attention as the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon. Their eyelids felt heavy before closing them finally and falling into a fitful sleep as the sun rose into the sky.


End file.
